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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 10 Hansard (29 August) . . Page.. 3627 ..

Planning and Urban Services-Standing Committee

Report No 71 of 2001-government response

MR SMYTH (Minister for Urban Services, Minister for Business, Tourism and the Arts and Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (3.35): For the information of members, I present the following paper:

Planning and Urban Services-Standing Committee-Report No 71-Proposed development at South Bruce section 21, blocks 1, 3 and 4 and traffic arrangements on Haydon Drive (presented 13 June 2001)-Government response, dated 2001.

I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the paper.

I wish to present the government's response to report No 71 of the Standing Committee on Planning and Urban Services to the Legislative Assembly. Report No 71 relates to proposed developments at south Bruce, section 21, blocks 1, 3 and 4, and traffic arrangements on Haydon Drive.

Report No 71 arose from concerns raised by residents of south Bruce with the Standing Committee on Planning and Urban Services about the possible development of block 3, section 1, and blocks 1 and 4, section 4, of Bruce. Block 3 was identified on the government's residential land release program for the year 2001-2002. Blocks 1 and 4 are community facility land, and the government wished to initiate planning studies aimed at developing these two blocks for older persons' accommodation.

After being advised that the committee proposed to look into the concerns of the south Bruce residents, I asked that all studies be deferred, pending the committee's report. The committee's report follows careful consideration of submissions to it from the south Bruce residents, officers from my department, and representatives from the Little Company of Mary.

The committee's report recommends that block 3, section 21, not be developed for residential purposes. It highlights the value of the land to south Bruce residents, who suggested that the land use policy for that area be changed to nature park. The government recognises the interests of the residents in the development of this area over the years, and accepts the committee's recommendation.

The government welcomes the committee's recommendations about the development of older persons' accommodation on blocks 1 and 4, and proposes to proceed with the planning studies as a matter of priority. These studies will, in part, look at the preservation of the northern part of block 4 for environmental purposes. The committee believes this area has environmental significance, and this needs to be properly considered.

These studies will also look at the intersection of Haydon Drive and Jaeger Circuit, which was the subject of the committee's third recommendation. With the development of older persons' accommodation on blocks 1 and 4, access onto Haydon Drive must be

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